Providence in the Light
by Seiker Hikaru
Summary: Shinobi walk in the dark, that is known. Fighting from the shadows, they move ever onward. But where shadow exists so too must light. If the Shinobi walk in shadow, then the boys bearing the name of Samurai stride in the light. Guided by providence and aided by the shadows, blades of light stride ever to the future. "Let me show you how the Samurai dance!"
1. Chapter 1

_**Senran Kagura: Overnight Burst**_

**Chapter 1: The Boys of Providence**

_Ryugamine City. Nestled deep in Japan past where people would willingly go, tucked away past a sea of trees and mountains, surrounding the basin at the base of the grand Ryugamine Mountain. A place brimming with spiritual power, this city is home to humans and yokai alike. And, it is a city where the tradition of the samurai and onmyodo lives on. The Tenno clans, the overseers of Ryugamine and bearers of the traditions, the young heirs of these clans train in the arts of sword and mystics, learning to hunt down the Yoma, the evil spirits born of the negativity of man._

_The strongest among these clan are the Tenno main branch, who's bloodline embodies the Void and whom created the swords known as the Sealing Blades: Rengoku and Jikogu. Passed down from heir to heir, these blades are blessed by Onymodo mantras and bear immense power to seal the Yoma away._

_And now the twin swords fall to the hands of twin brothers. Joined by the heirs of the other three clans of Ryugamine, Kazama, Shiki, and Akabane, the heirs of the way of samurai venture forth. Onward brave souls, to the world that waits beyond!_

* * *

The woods of the basin were rumbling as trees were knocked down in the bright light of a spring time noon hour. The creature doing so was like something out of a nightmare, spider-like but with contorted human faces in place of eyes and gnarled legs that cut through the trees before it like a blade cutting paper.

The beast was being pursued, flashes of lightning following it before a shape shot into the air, coming down with a hard crash, halting the beast's attempt to flee before bolting back to a tree, the figure snickering as the spider monster hissed up at him with spittle covered, blood dripping mandibles spreading out.

"Ahh! The big bad _an arahna_ is mad! Shishishi! I barely even tapped you!"

The young man was one in his late teens, possessing cattish looks to him with slender gray eyes and sun-streaked blonde hair, plus a light tan to his skin to match. He was garbed in a light jacket with half sleeves colored white over a black shirt, loose tan pants and black boots. Covering his forearms were black gauntlets edged with silver, and matching greaves were on his legs. Of particular note, the gauntlets had characters embossed on them. On the right "Heaven" and the left "Hell."

One of the spider's limbs lashed out, and the fighter reeled back a fist, but as he did, something else flashed through the air, the spider screeching as the tip of its leg was severed, black blood spewing from the wound and splashing across the dirt.

"Ehhh?! Hey, don't steal my fun Ame!"

"Quit the whining Yuki. Your gauntlets wouldn't have stopped that thing's talon."

Another boy landed on the branch, spinning a karambit on his right-hand index finger, flecks of ice flying off the black blade, it's edge glinting in the sunlight. The younger looking boy's stoic expression could be said to comedically clash with his soft features, like he was trying too hard to look serious. Long, dark blue hair was tied up into an angled tail while the front was a mess of bangs that framed his sea green eyes. His own attire was a dark blue fur collared parka over a grey shirt with a belt holding a bunch of small throwing blades on it, black slacks with another belt on it holding more tools, with lighter boots on his feet.

"I had it!" Yuki snapped, the two boys leaping from the branch and to the floor of the woods. "Okay so, no time to argue!"

"Of course not! It's a Yoma, you think it cares?!" Ame shot to the side when the Yoma struck at him particularly, his karambit catching the talon of the incoming leg by the edge. "Bad move."

Ame's grip on the karambit tightened, and ice shot up from the blade and raced up the limb of the spider Yoma. With an excited yell, Yuki came running down, a few twirls coming to his moves, lightning sparking at his legs as he shot forward, spinning around with a leap and crashing through the frozen leg of the Yoma. When he landed, Yuki took off at a run, Ame quick to follow after him as the frozen limb fell to the ground.

"So, what's the plan now? Ain't Kaen setting something up? When's _that _gonna be done?" Yuki said, using some of the trees like vaults to move faster, Ame's own steps at times coming with ice forming where his feet or hands tapped off of.

"That's what we're _doing _remember?! Luring the Yoma to him. We're not far, so keep running!"

"_Entendi!"_

"Speak Japanese please!"

Yuki simply laughed as they continued along, their chase eventually taking the two boys past a clearing, which they shot right through, skidding to a stop at the other end and readying their weapons. The Yoma came crashing through into the clearing, stopping in front of the two boys, who merely smirked at it as they then leapt back and up into the trees.

"Fall to the shadows you were birthed from, being of Hell. _Come Forth at Once!" _From elsewhere at the clearing's edge, a paper tag went flying out and to the ground, shining and causing more tags that had been hidden on the ground to light up, a star connecting between all of the lines before the Yoma was blasted from below by a pillar of fire that went high into the sky, the heat alone singing the leaves in some of the nearby trees. Once the flames faded, the Yoma shuddered before collapsing onto the dirt, its body burnt black by the flames.

"Tch… wasn't enough to put it down eh? This one's got some strength to it." Fallen leaves crinkled as another boy stepped out into view as Ame and Yuki lowered back into the clearing. The new boy appeared to be at the same age as Ame, and just like the other two he seemed almost impossibly good looking. His ghostly pale face was marked by narrow golden eyes framed by dark crimson hair that while messy also had multiple small braids tied through it. His clothes were similar to the traditional robes of an _onmyodo, _but far lighter and made for movement rather than ceremony, to the point the resemblance seemed rather vague in some ways.

"Eesh? Seriously? Your spells typically put stuff right out though Kaen!" Yuki commented, Kaen turning to him with a sigh, though his expression remained rather neutral.

"Sometimes you just get unlucky. Now…" With a flick of a wrist, a length of chain dropped from one of Kaen's sleeves, the entire length of it absolutely covered inch to inch in ofudas. "… we shouldn't forget to actually fight it."

"Of course." Ame spun his karambit again, ice forming around the blade and extending it's length, Yuki chuckling as he took a few steps and got into a wavering but tight stance that kept his arms and legs moving.

The yoma shuddered and rose up again, roaring at the five boys, rearing up some of its none severed legs to strike at them. As it did, they heard bells ring.

Two more shapes arrived, shooting from the trees and landing where the spiked limbs were striking, the sound of metal being slammed into ringing the air as flares of white and black entered the vision of the three teenagers.

The two new arrivals were boys who were functionally identical. One's face was slightly softer in the look than the other, but they shared the same sharp, sky blue eyes and pale as snow skin, and their builds had the exact same measures to them.

The boy with the softer features bore bright white hair that at the front half was straight and loose, framing his face with crossed strands between his eyes, while the rest was in swept layers and the nape tied low in a thing tail that fell just past his shoulder blades, the tail tied by a blue and white chord with silver bells at the end, still ringing from the movements he had done. Along with the chord, his bangs had a fox shaped hair clip in them, the clip bearing a blue gem and a single tail. He was wearing a blue and grey jacket that had somewhat loose sleeves and went down to his mid-thigh, the style making it somewhat like a haori, while the jacket sat over a black shirt and a red waist sash with a fox pattern in white marking it, the sash holding the sheathe for a katana and under it a wakizashi. Black slacks with some armor on the shins covered his legs as well as the shoes he wore. On his hands were black fingerless gloves, and gripped tightly in those hands was a gleaming katana. The weapon's grip was wrapped in white leather and plated with silver, while the twisted _manji_ shaped, jade _tsuba _bore a dragon design across it. And notably, even as sparks edged across the blade while it held back the Yoma's claw, one could see a series of characters etched onto it.

The other boy, as opposed to the other whos face was more solemn, bore a wild smirk on his face. His hair was raven black and shorter, but also a wild mess that stuck up in multiple places without much of a care for any kind of styling to it, with crossed locks near his left eye, and an x-shaped scar was on his right cheek. His attire consisted of a black jacket with a red piece of cloth tied around the left arm, the right half is worn loosely off right his arm like a ronin's haori, belts coming off the ends of the jacket and even his waist, those belts over black slacks, and combat boots on his feet. At the back of his waist were two short sheathes, no doubt for the red bladed _chokuto _in his hands, while strapped to his back was a third sword hidden by wrappings that themselves bore a myriad of ofudas covering it.

With two yells, the identical boys shoved their swords up and moved the yoma's limbs back, blades flashing through the air and severing the legs, the yoma retreating as it howled again.

"Eesh, four legs gone and it's just pissed off ehh? Persistent son of a bitch this one!" The black-haired boy chuckled as he spun one of his swords, placing the other on his shoulder. "Whaddya think is gonna happen next Shin?"

"Regeneration." The other boy curtly said, drawing wide eyes from the others. And just as he said, the yoma's severed limbs suddenly shuddered, new ones bursting from the sumps and taking its place… what made it all the worse were the faces on it's head now creepily grinning at the boys. "See Kyo?"

"Obviously! Damn this one's creepy." Kyo grumbled, shuddering a bit.

"Just means we need to kill it faster." Shin murmured, setting his blade into a stance where he held it on his shoulder, meaning his arms were able to remain relatively relaxed. "Yuki, Ame, Kaen, let's drive it closer to the basin. It won't have much room to work with near the cliff."

The other three boys nodded, Shin and Kyo parrying the Yoma when it struck again. As he was struck at, Yuki dodged with a small twirl, his follow up motion rapidly moving his feet as he twirled, his arm sparking as he wheeled around and slammed it into the leg of the Yoma, a loud _crack _sounding as the limb was broken. With another move as Ame leapt at him, Yuki wheeled and launched the other boy into the air. Ame grabbed some of the throwing daggers he had, ice coating them before he threw them, the extended blades piercing some of the faces of the yoma, Ame spinning as he came down, his extended karambit slashing through the mandibles of the beast. As it wailed from the pain of such wounds so quickly, the spider was lashed by Kaen's chain, which had some of it's ofudas lit up to multiple elements around it, and another ofuda landed clean on it when he tossed it, flames bursting from the tag.

"And let's go now!" Kyo shouted, veering back and through the trees, Shin following after him but going off another way. The other boys quickly followed suit. The yoma looked around, it's faces reflecting confusion, before charging off in a random direction after the boys. As the beast crashed through the woods yet again, charging through after the scent it had caught onto.

"Over here _as aranha!" _With a yell, Yuki swung around one of the trees, his feet crashed into the yoma and sent it skidding along the group before slamming into a tree, Yuki diving back through the woods as globs of webbing were shot at him, cackling as he vanished into the thick of it.

The yoma then got a few daggers thrown into its abdomen, turning to see Ame smirking at it from up in a tree, the boy grabbing the branch he was on and vaulting off. The yoma gave chase, relentlessly after the target as Ame swung from tree to tree, though the line was starting to get thinner as they went, and the view that overlooked the city and the basin was becoming easier and easier to see.

And then that ofuda covered chain came reeling out, snaring one of the Yoma's legs, making it come to a stop before the limb could be pulled off from its own rushing. Kaen dropped into view, and with some rapidly spoken words as his other hand had an ofuda between its fingers, the chain lit up with flames. Kaen lashed the chain and then tossed the ofuda, a blast of air slamming into the yoma and sending it reeling, _also _causing the snared leg to come clean off with sprays of goopy black blood following. Kaen and Ame went back into the trees as the yoma rolled back.

"My turn!" Kyo laughed aloud from the break in the trees, the Yoma turning and hissing from its sheered mandibles, venom spewing from its maw. Kyo dodged to the side and jumped off a tree, swiping his blades and severing another leg as the Yoma continued careening down. With another move, waves of energy flew from Kyo's blades and slammed into the Yoma, sending it over the edge of the basin wall, but it shot out webbing and managed to stick to it. "Shin, you're up little bro!"

Shin was below in the basin itself, standing atop the still water with the only ripples coming from below his feet, where a slight glow showed he was using his energy to keep himself on the surface. As the Yoma's glare turned towards him, he twirled his sword and held it level, two fingers of his left hand going to the etched characters, starting to slide them along the flat.

"Banish all Evil, Return all to Earth, Cross now the Sanzu! Be cleansed, be purified, cast away malice and return to the stars!" As Shin spoke the words on the blade, flickers of blue energy began edging along it, following his fingers before flaring up like a flame as his fingers left the sword, swiping it through and back into a two-handed grip, his gaze steady on the Yoma.

Feeling the energy of the blade that had been released, the yoma roared and began skittering along the side of the cliff. Shin took off after it, the water beneath his feet rippling with each step as he ran. The Yoma spat at him with both web and venom, Shin dodging or jumping to avoid the shots. With a dash that kicked up a wake behind him, Shin shot forward and cut off, leaping into the air and gripping the sword tightly, cutting through the line of web that was shot at him, spinning around and driving the blade through the yoma's head, though he was batted away by one of the legs. Shin flipped in the air and landed on the water, kicking up a spray as he went backwards. The Yoma's head may have been cut open, but he clearly hadn't landed the killing blow.

The yoma paused for a moment when it saw that the blood dripping from it and into the basin turned to steam the moment it touched it, a sign that brought Shin to produce a smirk at the monster as its faces showed confusion. Clearly it was thinking on what to do. Pursue him, or stay on that wall and become a big fat target for the other boys, who had left the tree line and were watching for possible openings of their own.

It had clearly made its choice, because the creature's legs bent, and it leapt for Shin. The teenager jumped back, and the yoma crashed down onto the water, staying afloat by its legs via its own energy being focused to them. Shin's smirk faltered back to a serious expression as he jumped back when a leg lashed at him, shifting his sword to parry another. His feet only shifted slight as he moved and cut the leg in two, at the same time driving the stump into the water as the severed end fell. The yoma screeched as its limb pulled back, but the stump had already burned shut.

"Now you can't regenerate like you did before." Shin remarked, the yoma roaring at him again and lashing out with multiple legs at once. In a flash of movement, the air showed multiple slashes for as many limbs had lashed at him, more severed chunks falling into the water and kicking up steam. The yoma leapt again, and Shin slid under… though it seems that's what it had wanted, as with it's remaining legs, the yoma began running towards the city, cackling all the while. "No you don't! Nasu, synch Rengoku to me!"

The aura from his sword surged across Shin's body as fox ears popped up on his head and a matching tail furled out, while blue markings appeared around his eyes and over his cheeks. As he stood straight, with another step, be blasted forward at a speed far faster than before, the wake kicking up behind him appropriately large. The yoma turned as it sensed what was coming for it, and as it neared the shore, Shin shifted his grip, his blade swinging forward. The blade cut in, and cleaved right through the back of the Yoma, Shin yelling as the motion continued and carried him forward even more, cutting the yoma clean into two once he'd finished the cut, only coming to a stop as he skid right at the shore, the two halves of the yoma crashing across the surface of the basin before flopping messily to a stop on the rocky shore, Shin approaching as the upper portion still twitched with life, setting a hand near one of the faces and raising the sword up.

"Cross now the Sanzu, and return to the stars." Shin lifted his sword and plunged it into the Yoma, one final shudder coming from it before it fell dead at last. As he pulled the sword out, the aura around Shin and the sword died down as his figure also returned to normal, and with a spin, he brought the tip to its sheathe and moved the blade in, a satisfying _clack _sounding as the _tsuba _hit the top. "Now as for this mess…"

"Oiii, Shin!"

Shin turned, and a small smile came around when he saw the others rushing down the shore to him, Kyo in the lead and coming to a stop, clapping Shin on the back.

"Nice move bro! Hehehe, you're really starting to get the hang of using Rengoku now." Kyo said, Shin adjusting his sword a bit.

"I mean I'd have to. I've had it since we were ten." Shin commented.

"I'll get to purifying the body so nothing spreads past the shore." Kaen just immediately veered off and started tossing around ofudas at the two parts of the dead Yoma, clapping his hands together and beginning to rapidly chant mantras as the ofudas he'd thrown out started glowing.

"I think we should be concerned a Yoma like this appeared not too far from the city at all." Ame said, spinning his karambit before shoving it into a sheath at his waist, scanning the progressively fading parts of the yoma. "If Yuki couldn't one shot it or Kaen's spells weren't enough to outright destroy it then…"

"Ah but Yoma are always that way." Kyo said, holding a finger up, Ame giving a scoff. "Sure you can kill 'em in one shot if you know what you're doing, but stronger Yoma are tricky bastards!"

"Yeah it's not really like we're just cleaning up the small fry like when we were kids." Yuki pointed out, having since donned a pair of headphones and now bobbing along to the music they were playing. "Besides it's no fun if they ain't fighting back! Can't get into a good flow that way."

"So says the Brazilian-Japanese who fights with modified capoeira." Ame dryly remarked, Yuki snickering as he started bouncing around.

"Well hey we killed it, so what's the big deal? Not like there's gonna be another problem for a while eh?" Kyo remarked.

"True. But, there have been more Yoma sightings ever since the Orochi incident a few months ago."

All the boys sans Kaen screamed at the sudden voice, all of them shooting around to see there _was _someone else at the shore. An old man who despite his age showing on his weathered face covered by a dark grey but still mostly black beard and long hair, radiated with power, dressed in dark clothes fit for a samurai lord in appearance. But sticking out most of all were the same kind of sky-blue eyes as Shin and Kyo.

"Grandpa?! When did you get here?" Shin asked, a surprised look on, the old man chuckling as he pulled back the fishing rod in his hands and cast it again.

"I've been here since lunch. I saw what you all did, and your performance was truly impressive." The old man said, looking to the boys with a smile. "Shin, you use Rengoku well. The blade really has become yours in full."

"Ahehehe, ah, thanks grandpa." Shin said, putting a hand behind his head as he chuckled.

"And Kyo, how are you? Have those dreams you've been having stopped by now?" The old man said, Kyo pocketing his hands as he looked to the side. "Being inside of the Orochi itself must have been quite the experience."

"Ah don't worry old timer, I'm fine. Been sleeping like a log since I fell into the basin last week! So I'll be a-ok whenever we head back to Asakusa, don't worry!" Kyo pumped an arm as he spoke, the old samurai nodding, tugging at his rod a bit.

"Good to hear. The waters of Ryugamine do well for the soul after all." Said the old man. "Yuki, Ame, how are you two? What were your thoughts on Asakusa hmm?"

"I'm personally not that impressed by things, for now." Ame said, folding his arms. "For one even _if _those girls were able to stop Orochi-HEY!"

"Yeah but those _bambinas _are rockin'! Hehehe, so damn glad I went, my photo album got crazy huge!" Yuki said, while also shoving Ame down, the younger boy hissing and immediately clawing at him as he was then used as an arm rest. "That and Kaen here got to store up those Yin and Yang scrolls thanks to old man Hanzo."

"Well we don't want a repeat of a few months ago." Kaen stepped over, filing the now blank ofudas into a pocket in his robes. "I do have to give Hanzo a great thanks though. Handing over the Yin and Yang scrolls is no doubt going to be problematic for the Shinobi, but, personally I think it's better we leave them sealed on top of the mountain shrine. What do you think, Tenno-sama?"

"If that is the will of the Kazama Heir, then we will leave it at that." Tenno said, recasting his line again, giving a click of the tongue. "I think that yoma disturbed the waters too much. I was making good catches before. Tch, catching the Emperor of the Basin is going to be a trial of my patience yet again is it?"

"You're still trying to catch that thing grandpa?" Shin asked, putting a hand to the hilt of his sword, the old man nodding. "I think it's kinda hopeless. You've been trying since you were my and Kyo's age!"

"And thus why I continue." Tenno stated. "I've pulled the dastardly beast up before, but to catch it… hmhmhm, only then will I consider that a true victory over this longtime enemy of mine! Besides, it'll be another thing I can brag to Hanzo about once I do."

"You two are never gonna stop being rivals are ya' old man?" Kyo put his arms behind his head, Tenno just replying with a smug chuckle. "Don't be proud of that!"

"Ah leave it be. Maybe the Emperor swallowed some old secret scroll or something?" Shin said, then giving a chuckle. "Ah what am I saying?"

"Well, I'm gonna go hit up the arcade, who wants to come with?" Kyo said, Ame shrugging and putting up a hand.

"What the hell, I've got time to kill." Ame said, following Kyo as he left.

"I've got other business to attend to. See ya guys later!" Yuki then left too, and Kaen was already starting to leave.

"I'll be heading back to the shrine to redo these ofudas. Shin, Tenno-sama, farewell." Kaen took a short bow before then leaving himself, and then only the grandson and grandfather were left on the shore, Shin deciding to sit down next to his grandfather.

"So…" Tenno said, Shin looking at him. "How has progress been on the Gates?"

"Well… I still haven't gotten past the 1st Gate." Shin muttered, giving a sigh. "You'd think I'd have the answer for _at least_ the first one by now… but I still don't feel like I have the real answer to the question it's asking me. You'd think "why do you choose to fight" wouldn't be so hard of an answer."

"Well the questions the Gates have on them are somewhat obtuse." Tenno cast the line again and chuckled. "Frankly I was surprised the Kazama of the time chose to make some of them so difficult. But, one's reason for fighting is such a first step, I believe it being an obtuse answer in truth is fitting. You may feel like you have an answer, but perhaps the problem is that it's not the answer you _want _that is leaving the gate sealed."

"Maybe, I dunno." Shin murmured, picking at some grass and starting to braid it together. "That or it's just that I'm not confident in my answer. I mean, I _thought _I'd be settled with "for the people I care about" but when it didn't do anything it threw the entire perspective out of whack! If that's not the real answer for me than what is?"

"Well I wouldn't go that far." Tenno stated, tapping the teenager on the head. "There are some people who fight with no true reason. They merely wish to do battle because it is what they find joy in from life. Take Kyo for example. He's a fine boy, but he fights moreso for the sake of the fight itself than any other reason. He's like your father in that way, a man who sees a "fight" as a guiding force in itself, and not just something to be done."

"Why did _you _fight grandpa?"

"Simple: I fought to test myself, to grow stronger as both a person and a warrior. Shin, do not try to remain selfless. You can be allowed to be selfish in your desires if you so wish. Fighting for the people you care for is plenty well and good, admirable even… but if it turns out your _true _reason to do battle with others is something else, something potentially more selfish, than would that be so bad?"

"Well, no…"

"Then ponder on it more. You will find your answer in time, don't worry."

"Time huh… guess we've got plenty of it."

"Hahaha. Oh to be young again."

* * *

**Six months ago, all of us were sent on a mission, our first one outside of Ryugamine. Me, Kyo, Yuki, Ame, and Kaen were sent to a city known as Asakusa. A city where Shinobi roamed, not Samurai or Onmyodo like us. It didn't feel different at first. But it was still like being a fish out of water.**

**Kyo and I in particular were given more direct missions. Kyo headed off to find the Hebijo Clandestine Academy at the outskirts of the city, and I was going to Hanzo International Academy with Yuki. We met the Shinobi students who attended there, five girls, all talented Shinobi in their own right. Asuka, Ikaruga, Katsuragi, Yagyu, and Hibari. Yuki and I became friends with them surprisingly quickly… sort of. Some of them weren't as receptive to us as others and it made for some rocky patches in the following weeks. Kyo met the Elites of Hebijo as well, after having to fight his way through their outer yard since they attacked him before he could get a word in. Homura, Yomi, Haruka, Hikage, and Mirai. I don't really know what all happened to Kyo while he was there, I just know most of them look at him oddly. Kyo's kind of a weird guy so I worry about what he did.**

**Ame and Kaen remained hidden, observing from elsewhere and carrying out their own more secretive missions in the city at the behest of my grandfather, Senzaemon Tenno. Hanzo and Hebijo wound up clashing, and we Samurai found ourselves caught in the crossfire.**

"**Good Shinobi" and "Evil Shinobi"… a conflict that's been going on for as long as some can remember. I found it pointless though. Shinobi are Shinobi aren't they? It felt like the only difference was their employers and how many people one side or the other took in… the Hanzo girls didn't seem to disagree with me but they didn't seem to know better either.**

**With a conflict with Hebijo looming on the horizon, Yuki and I decided to help Hanzo. We trained with them, and learned more about who they were and how they ended up where they are. We actually managed to become friends in that time. I got close to Asuka in particular. The granddaughter of the great Shinobi Hanzo himself, she's a kind, innocent girl who had potential she hadn't been able to fully tap into at the time. I guess we're kind of similar in that extent.**

**We're close in age so we wound up sticking together through most of it. I told Asuka a lot about myself, and she in turn told me a lot about her. Our lives honestly couldn't have been more different. I was raised learning how to fight Yoma, a thing Asuka didn't even know exist at the time, and even though Asuka has wanted to become a Shinobi her whole life, she only truly became one last year. Well… okay my past is a bit more complicated than that kind of simple statement, but, still.**

**I liked Asuka almost immediately honestly… she was nice to me from the day we met and didn't think anything different of me because I wasn't a Shinobi. Of all of them I felt oddly drawn to her more… Asuka has this weird magnetism to her, an ability to draw people together and help them stick it through even the worst times. **

**Ahhh… dammit now I'm remembering something weird that doesn't fit into this kind of thing. Ahem. I'll uh… at least say we got… close, very close, over the course of the training that happened. It was uh… stop staring at me with that smirk, it's rude… no it… well, yes we kind of… why is that relevant to what I'm explaining?!... did Grandpa put you up to this?**

… **fine we'll move on. It was after that where things started for real. Hanzo Academy held one of two secret scrolls, the Yang Scroll, pair to the Yin Scroll. These scrolls were items of great power, and they held the secret to summoning Orochi, a powerful Yoma that could raze a city even in a weak state. It was these scrolls that Kaen was investigating at the time. And the Yang scroll was stolen.**

**Hibari, even when I tried to convince her not to, left to infiltrate Hebijo. I found it surprising since she's normally meek and timid… Yagyu punched me clean in the face for not stopping her despite what I said. I met with Kaen not long after, and he explained what had actually happened. Hibari's mind had been influenced by the Yang Scroll, and she'd given it away to Hebijo while under its influence-something about the two desiring to reunite. He was urgent about it, because he wanted to seal the scrolls away before something bad happened.**

**You can probably guess we didn't have that kind of luck with it.**

**More fighting began as Yagyu left to get Hibari back from Hebijo, and amid it, I was able to meet up with Kyo. He'd come to really care about the Hebijo girls in the time since he joined them, and he could tell I'd made good friends at Hanzo too. We fought, but not for the sakes of Hanzo and Hebijo… just to fight, to test each other's edges and see how we'd grown since then. Just a fight between brothers to see who'd become stronger. We weren't Shinobi after all. In the end the concerns of the world of Shinobi don't matter to us. What mattered to us wasn't anything like good or evil, but who we were fighting for. Kyo wanted to fight for his friends, and me mine. It had nothing to do with them as Shinobi, that came across plenty to me and him as we fought.**

**After the fight, Kyo and I split off, knowing that the next time Hanzo and Hebijo fought would be for real. I headed back to Hanzo Academy, and left with Asuka to walk because she wanted to talk. What was coming up was troubling for her of course, it would be for anyone. We wound up finding ourselves at Hanzo's sushi shop, uh, he runs one of those, and who else do we see there but Kyo and Homura? Asuka and Homura got to talking as they ate… Kyo and I were too tense to have any kind of appetite even when Hanzo put sushi out in front of us. We knew that in the next few hours, things could very well begin going to hell in a handbasket.**

**Kyo spoke first, saying that he wanted to support Homura and her friends the best he could. Maybe he couldn't get them off the path of an "evil shinobi", but he felt like he could do something, something more to help these girls he'd come to care for. He didn't have to say much more, I could feel the resolve in his words… I couldn't help but feel like Kyo was someone I'd always be behind in that moment. Real heir my ass… I still don't know why Kyo stepped down and let me be the heir to the family instead of him. But, I didn't want my friends to lose either. I thought this whole fight to the death thing was bullshit… and I couldn't help but shake the feeling something else was at play, not after what Kaen had told me. Someone **_**wanted **_**this to happen.**

**Kyo didn't say much after that, just said that the Rengoku, the strongest of the Sealing Blades, chose me for a reason… I'd learn it eventually, just not yet. That was where it ended for that time. The final battle was starting, and all of us only had a bit of time left to prepare for it. At the request of the Hanzo girls, Yuki and I hung back, though Yuki didn't really care and ran off to join Katsuragi after everyone split off. Those two have an… interesting relationship with one another.**

**Kaen and Ame showed up while I was waiting, both having news with them. Ame had gotten into Hebijo discreetly to snoop around, while Kaen had news about the scrolls. Someone was trying to summon Orochi. The Yin and Yang scrolls, and the bodies of talented Shinobi… that was what was required for the summoning of this beast… it's what this seemingly pointless final battle was for. We saw that as their fights with the Hanzo girls ended and each of them settled their differences, the Hebijo girls were absorbed one by one… in the end, Asuka and Homura, at their full powers, fought on the roof. Homura came out the victor, but she was too wounded, and became the last sacrifice to Orochi.**

**The castle of Hebijo itself shook as the beast formed. I… well I'm not really sure how to describe Orochi. It sure as hell wasn't the eight headed dragon from the myths, that was for damn sure. It was horrifying… but also weak, and falling apart. But it was still dangerous, Kaen made that clear. We had to do something about it… though then Kyo showed up. And amid all of that chaos, he asked me to fight him again, all out, so that he could enter Orochi and go after Homura and the other Elites… it's as crazy an idea as it sounded. But, there's reckless, and then there's Kyo. Kaen tried to talk us down, but Kyo wasn't having it… I had to answer his resolve with my own, so I drew Rengoku, and he drew the other Sealing Blade, Jigoku. With the blade's powers released, we clashed again, throwing everything we had at one another.**

**The battle was a draw, neither of us managing to really win… but it was enough, from what Kyo said. He vanished in a flash of red light, giving us a wave. And so that left the rest of us to hold off Orochi. While the others were too wounded to fight, Asuka still had strength left. Kaen said he and Ame wouldn't be much help, but he could do something for me… temporarily release a few of the Gates that lock away the full extent of my own powers. Asuka had already used of the scrolls to increase her own power too. With those boosts behind us, both of us went off to fight Orochi from the outside.**

**The fight was… not easy. The damn thing spoke, it **_**fucking spoke.**_** Most Yoma just **_**don't do that **_**under normal circumstances. Or maybe we just haven't, luckily, run into any Yoma like that, I dunno… I just know I'm never gonna forget that voice ringing in my head no matter how many times I fall into the Ryugamine Basin. But for as bad as that was… I can't help but wonder what it was like for the ones inside of that monster. The Hebijo girls and Kyo… I don't think they're ever going to forget what happened to them no matter how they act about it from here on. Kyo sure as hell didn't, he had nightmares for months until he, well, fell into the basin. It fixes a lot of problems for some reason.**

**Whether it was by pure determination or something else though, Asuka and I managed to beat Orochi down. I'm sure part of it also had to do with Kyo and Homura's own battle on the inside… we were only fighting one part of Orochi, they were fighting another. Living in Ryugamine, fighting Yoma is something of a normal occurrence once you're old enough. Spiritual powers run strong here, so people born in Ryugamine tend to be powerful… we're born Yoma hunters people say… but Orochi? I'd never seen something fight more desperately for the sole sake of destruction in my entire life, as short as it is. And it was strong, even in the weak state that it was at the time… I don't want to imagine how powerful Orochi would be if it had been summoned correctly. I'm glad Kaen sealed those damn scrolls high in the mountain shrine where they won't be touched again.**

**After that… well, thankfully for the rest of us everyone was alive. Obviously, really, we wouldn't be making this report if we hadn't… at least, well, you get the point. Kyo left with the Hebijo girls off to wherever, but, we were called back to Ryugamine not long after, so he's got no clue where they're at now, but he's got people looking… they might have found something actually, I heard him hollering in joy the other night. But, that's where that ended, though Yuki and I didn't stay out of contact with the Hanzo girls… Asuka sends way too many texts…**

**And now that leads us to here… six months later, and about to head to Asakusa again.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Senran Kagura: Providence in the Light**

**Chapter 2: Departure of the Providence Driven**

The dojo was completely silent at the moment, all except for the tapping sound of a _shishi-odoshi _every few seconds. Only sunlight filtered in through the paper walls of the building, the polished wood floors still fresh and shining. Only two stood in the large space at the time. Shin and Kyo, dressed in kendo uniforms but lacking the protective gear, both holding heavy wooden swords in hand, Shin one and Kyo two.

The twin brothers stood in silence for several moments as they shifted into their stances, Shin holding his blade steady in both hands while Kyo raised his one over the shoulder and the other forwards. With one more tap of the _shishi-odoshi, _Kyo struck first. Both swords came down in tandem from two angles, one slightly before the other, while just as quickly, Shin stepped past the first sword and blocked the other in the same moment. He placed his other hand on the sword and pushed forward, Kyo moving back and just being missed by the following slash from Shin.

Who was quick to follow into another strike. Gripping the handle of the sword with both hands, Shin brought it right back down, Kyo bringing his swords up to block, a loud _clack _sounding from the impact of the wooden swords slamming against each other. Kyo's stance shifted just enough before the motion from Shin could fully stall, causing himself to be carried past as his swords shifted to the side while Shin's blade fell. Kyo went to slash again, the first blade sailing past Shin's head as he ducked, and he blocked the following second. This time, it was a similar motion as to his first block, but done so quickly, the next sound was the loud _whap _of Kyo's side being hit by the wooden sword.

"Ahhahahaoooow! That actually stung!" Kyo yelped as he immediately held his side, Shin sighing as he rose up and leaned the wooden sword against the floor.

"You're the one who decided we shouldn't wear the protective gear, Kyo." Shin said, pointing his thumb off to the rack holding said gear, Kyo clicking his tongue as he folded his arms and sat on the floor.

"That just gets in the way! Besides I can deal with a bit of pain anyway-OW!' Kyo yelped when he slapped where he'd been hit to try and demonstrate, hissing in. "Not that it doesn't."

"Which one of us is older again?" Shin sighed, turning when he heard a shift in the air, he and Kyo spotting Ame having appeared at the door. "Ame, something up?"

"It's about time." Ame said, standing up and folding his arms. "Lord Tenno said he wants us all to gather at the shrine. I presume it'll be about us leaving for Asakusa tomorrow and what he wants us to do while we're there… and no Kyo, before you ask, _not _the mountain shrine, the one on the property."

"Good! I ain't walking up that mountain today!" Kyo said, shaking his head, causing flecks of sweat to fly from his black hair as he then shot up. "Now, after all that, time to wash up!"

"I can agree with that." Shin remarked, running his fingers through his own hair and causing the bells in the chord tying his nape back to jingle again. "What does grandpa want to talk about?"

"As _usual _he refused to say anything else. Guess we'll find out once we get there. I've gotta go get Yuki, wherever the hell he ran off to this morning. I'll see you both soon." Ame bowed his head and then vanished with a quick flash of mist, Kyo clicking his tongue.

"I _still _don't get how he does that!" Kyo muttered, Shin chuckling.

"Well at least it's not as bad as Kiriya-sensei and how he does it." Shin said, feeling his throat singe a bit at the mere _thought _of the overabundant usage of smoke that was the regular habit of the Hanzo Academy Shinobi instructor. "Anyway, let's get going."

* * *

Had this been any other city, Ame striding through the crowd in his dark blue clan attire probably would have seemed all to odd. But, Ryugamine wasn't a normal city by far. While modern as any other, the feel of Ryugamine was different. It didn't _feel _modern was the thing. It wasn't just people walking about in the daily buzz. Flitting through the air or walking among the people were far and many, all kinds of yokai.

Small _shikigami _types either riding on shoulders or flitting through the air. Animal-types walking through people's legs, humanoids walking and conversing like this was (and it _was) _entirely normal to have occurring at the time. Anything and everything, from (tame) Kappa lounging in ponds with other small river creatures and yokai, to tengu perched on the buildings.

So in all respect a teenager in classical shinobi attire was the _least _outrageous thing one would see walking around this city.

"If Yuki isn't on the property then he'd be in his apartment… the one we made him get after one too many loud partners." Ame sighed as he folded his arms, rounding a corner and making his way out of the main district of the city and out towards a residential area. When he reached a particular apartment building, Ame made a rapid leap right up to the fourth floor of the building, landing on one of the balconies. He knocked on the glass door, which was currently shrouded over by a dark curtain, and sat back.

It didn't take long, that and pressing his ear to the door to listen, for Ame to hear things. Mostly surprised shouting ("He didn't close the bedroom door did he?")… and then a few _other _kinds of noises that made Ame immediately pull his head away, choosing to go back to leaning against the balcony.

"JUST A SECOND!" Ame sighed as he heard Yuki shout, putting a hand to his face.

"I think he should be a rabbit, not a tiger. It's not even noon!" Ame groaned as he turned around and leaned on a hand. As he waited, enough time started to pass he checked his watch on impulse. A little while later, and Ame just hung his head and sighed once more as he could hear a feminine scream come from behind the door. "Geez."

Ame turned when the door flew open, not at all looking surprised to see Yuki was in nothing but hastily thrown on sweats and nothing else, the young man's hair all kinds of a mess like it had been grabbed at and pulled for a good while, with some sweat on his brow.

"Uh… hey Ame… there's a door."

"Didn't feel like using it."

"… this is the fourth floor."

"And?" Ame sighed again and pinched his nose, shaking his head as Yuki glanced back. "Lord Tenno wants us to meet with him at the property shrine today."

"But we're not leaving for Asakusa till tomorrow." Yuki said, swiping one hand the other way, Ame catching a tuft of blonde hair darting back behind the door frame. Ame's unamused look didn't change, he just cocked a brow at Yuki as his eyes shifted back to the older young man. "So, what, just some news about what we're gonna do? I mean odds are I'm just gonna be with Shin again soo…"

"Go. Anyway." Ame said, his tone flat, Yuki wincing at the cold glare he was getting.

"Geez those eyes of yours could kill." Yuki said, Ame scoffing.

"If only they could." Ame said, turning and stepping onto the balcony. "Just be there. I don't care what you do after. If you're _not, _then I'll come back here and drag you outta that bedroom and the legs of whatever girl you have in there right now."

"Alright alright." Yuki grumbled, Ame giving an "eyes on you" gesture before he jumped from the balcony and vanished again. "Eesh… Ame does _not _hold back from his threats."

"He's as cold as that ice you say he uses. Eeshishishi!" Yuki turned when a tell-tale chuckle, snickering himself as a girl leapt to his back. Blonde hair messy and loose, falling down her back like a curtain all the way to her legs, and mischievous blue eyes with as much trouble in them as Yuki's. And to Yuki's liking, the feeling on his back from that gracious chest being squeezed in was nice and welcome.

"You get used to him after a while. Trust me Katsu, Ame's just a troublesome little brother. He's actually kinda cute when he's not in the groove." Yuki said, Katsuragi snickering again as she jumped off, the shirt that was clearly Yuki's swaying as she stepped back. "But, looks like I gotta put your send off part on hold for a bit. Old man Tenno is lenient, but Ame is not."

"Ahh don't worry about me Yuki. I'll just chill out here, maybe tease Ikaruga over the phone for a bit!" Katsuragi snickered as she flopped down on the couch, Yuki sitting on the arm as the blonde girl stretched. "Besides my hips are still kinda numb. I ain't going anywhere. So go get 'em tiger!"

"It's not like I'm going out for a fight." Yuki chuckled, catching Katsuragi's foot as she playfully kicked at him. "But knowing the old man, won't be long!"

* * *

The soft noise of a brush being placed down was the only notable sound in the room. Kaen, in more formal _onmyo _robes, gave a sigh as he moved the brush over. On the table before him were a slew of ofudas freshly completed, the ink on the paper still ever so slightly wet, though with a quick move of his hand, a mouse-like shikigami skittered over Kaen's arm, a small flame coming from the shikigami's mouth and causing the talismans to dry, the animal returning to a paper talisman form itself, which Kaen caught and stacked up with the rest of the papers with a swift motion.

"There, that supply will be enough for a while." Kane stowed the talismans into his robes and stood up, stepping out from the small study of the shrine and onto the main ground, stepping out across the grounds, where some of the monks he passed made bows to him, which he nodded to in return.

This was normal for him. Being the last member of his family, the heads of the Exorcist organization of Ryugamine, also meant he was the head. For being so young, his name had weight to it, a lot of weight. In essence, the Kazama were second only to the Tenno themselves in terms of influence in Ryugamine… and Kaen had all of that on his shoulders at merely sixteen years old.

When he reached the entrance of the shrine, Ame dropped down from the gate next to Kaen, the two only nodding to each other. Not long after, the first ones to show up were Shin and Kyo, and only a bit after them, Yuki as well, Ame giving a little scoff and smirk when he glanced Yuki's way.

"Good, everyone's here." Kaen looked over the others and then turned. "Tenno-sama is in the main shrine. We'll talk there."

Only nods were exchanged as the other boys followed Kaen into the center building of the shrine. Waiting for the five boys, on the elevated platform where a head priest would sit, Tenno was sitting, scanning over a scroll as the boys filed in and sat on the five mats set before the platform.

"Tenno-sama." Kaen gave the greeting, bowing his head for a moment before sitting, the old man looking up from the scroll and nodding himself.

"Glad to see you boys. I know it's still quite early in the day, and I'm sure some of you had plans since you're all leaving tomorrow." Tenno said, a glance being shot too Yuki, who looked to the side and whistled a bit. "But, I do have tasks for you to be carried out upon your return. Let me start with the simple one, for the one I'm sure already _has _plans: Kyo, you've been trying to locate the Crimson Squad girls since they went dark several months ago. Simply carry on with that path, and if you can, bring them into the fold of Ryugamine Shinobi. I'm sure those girls would appreciate work with a group who can keep them out of trouble."

"Got it! I've already got a hunch of _why _we haven't gotten a lot of word back since the first guy we sent didn't come back, and the girl reported being attacked by dolls." Kyo said, sighing as he folded his arms. "I'm chewing Haruka out so hard once I find them. _Very _hard."

"HAH!" Yuki said, getting hit by Ame for that crack of his.

"Carrying on." Tenno said. "Shin, Yuki, do as you would and return to Hanzo Academy and continue to train with the Shinobi there. If anything comes up, I give you two permission to take more direct action, though not that any of you are bound by the typical Shinobi laws anyway."

"Called it!" Yuki said, dodging when Ame swiped at him again.

"Understood Grandpa." Shin said, bowing his head.

"Ame, there's another Shinobi school in Asakusa." Tenno then turned to Ame, the boy raising a brow. "A school founded by another old friend of mine, Kurokage. Gessen Girl's Academy is it's name. I would like you to investigate the school, and if possible, find out what has caused Kurokage to suddenly go dark. I have ideas, but, I would like to know his condition… that man took a dark path in life, and I fear he never found a way out."

"Kurokage huh… understood Lord Tenno." Ame angled his head down, and then Tenno turned to Kaen.

"Kaen, as for you. These past few months, Hebijo has reconstructed their school." Tenno's words got the group to look up in surprise, all but Kaen, who just nodded. "Which means many of their students will be returning there, and with the absence of the Crimson Squad, a new elite team will be chosen as well. Considering the actions done by the Hebijo heads months ago, even if we now have the Yin and Yang Scrolls sealed here, there is still concerns to be had, especially if it turns out Dogen still lives."

"No way!" Kyo said. "I saw it myself, Homura cut the guy in two like… a log. Shit."

"Precisely. Dogen was a skilled shinobi in his own right. So it is not out of the realm of possibility he lived through the Orochi incident and will seek to try and gain power again at some point." Tenno said, Kyo grumbling in clear annoyance now. "Kaen, you know what you would have to do, of course."

"Yes." Kaen said, giving a nod. "Once we arrive, I'll head for Hebijo and find a way in. If luck holds out, there may be a chance Suzune returned as well. I got into contact with her while investigating the scrolls, and she could be the ally I need to get into Hebijo without much trouble."

"Good." Tenno nodded, and things were silent for a moment, the old man sighing. "Well? Do I need to say much else? Go on! We're done here, enjoy yourselves, go have fun in town, spar, do something else than sit here with an old man reading some dumb history texts!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Yuki was the first to scram, quick as a bolt of lightning, Ame puffing away yet again, the twins standing up and going their own way while Kyo started yammering on a bit. Which then only left Tenno and Kaen, who stood himself.

"So…" Tenno rolled up the scroll on the table, replacing it with another with a smooth motion. "If I remember correctly, you happened to take a particular exorcism job a year or two ago, right?"

"Of course. I did tell you of the results myself after all." Kaen said, folding his arms together.

"And as you said, you made a promise then. Knowing you, you'll keep it, won't you?"

"Of course I will. I'd tarnish my name if I were to go back on that promise. Besides, that young woman and I aren't so different. Farewell for new Tenno-sama. I'll message you once we arrive in Asakusa tomorrow." Kaen bowed low and turned, leaving with a smooth stride, leaving Tenno there to hum.

The old man turned, facing the two blades mounted behind him. One the Rengoku, Shin's sword, and the other the sealed sword Kyo carried around, Jigoku, the Sealing Blades, the artifacts of the Tenno line, swords made for one purpose and one purpose alone: Sealing Yoma.

"The Sealing Blades are humming yet again. It seems their spirits can feel a tide of events is coming in the future. Haha, if only scrying was reliable, perhaps I could see the trouble those boys will be getting into once they leave!" Tenno let out a hearty laugh as he looked down at the scroll, giving a hum. "Ohh! I opened the record on back when Hanzo, Kurokage, and I were at our best game. Ah the days back then… peh, anyone who says it was better back then is an old coot who can't move into the future!"

* * *

Now elsewhere out in the woods surrounding the city, somewhere near the basin, the twins were seated beneath a waterfall. A classic meditation method of course, but this being from the known-to-be-mystical waters of the Ryugamine mountain and basin, there was also a certain ritual to what the two were carrying out. In ways, this was as much them meditation as the two carrying out a purification before leaving the mountain again.

"So, what do you think'll happen this time huh?" Kyo spoke up, cracking an eye open, looking to Shin, who stayed still with his eyes closed. Kyo wondered how his brother managed these kind of things. They'd been keeping this up for half an hour now and Kyo was about ready to get out of the water and warm up with a run, yet there Shin was, his expression calm as ever and not even a _shiver _to be seen in his body. "I mean, I doubt we're gonna have anything as crazy as Orochi being summoned happen again… I didn't just jinx it did I?"

"It'll be fine." Shin said, opening his eyes and glancing at Kyo, seeing how his brother was already shivering a bit, and constantly readjusting his legs. Kyo always did have too much energy to spare. Getting him to sit still was like trying to make a cat bathe willingly. In other words, something you _could _do but would probably get clawed attempting to. "I mean it's Shinobi, so _something _will likely happen. But I don't think we'll be dealing with something that severe again… maybe. You never know at times."

"Well, I _do _like things to be unpredictable. Always more fun that way!" Kyo shot to his feet and stepped from under the water, shaking his hair free of most water, Shin raising a hand to block the flecks being thrown his way. Once he was done, Kyo's hair immediately puffed out a bit, and he snickered as he rubbed his nose. "I also can't wait to spar with Homura again! It's always way too much fun!"

"As much of a fight nut as ever." Shin mused, moving out of the water himself, squeezing the lengthier parts of his hair to get the water out. "Did that just become a regular thing between you too?"

"Pretty much. I sparred with the others too but Homura was always up and ready to go for a fight." Kyo said, snickering again as he put a fist to a palm. "So _aside _from chewing Haruka out something fierce, I do have some other plans for when I find that lot. I have a pretty good idea of _where _to look at the least. You've got it easy, your new Shinobi gal pals are all in one easy to find place."

"I mean we did kinda blow up Hebijo… sorta. That was more Orochi demolishing the place but, hey." Shin remarked, flipping a hand back and forth. "It is what it is."

"True that!" Kyo put a fist up with that remark, Shin chuckling again. "Well then, to luck once we get there!"

"For luck, yeah." Shin nodded, the two brother's knocking their fists up and down before clapping their hands together. "And let's see just how strong we get from here on out too."

"Hell yeah bro! Get to work on those Gates aight, I wanna see some explosive results once ya' do!" Kyo laughed, Shin chuckling himself as they high fived along with it.

"Haha, well, if it isn't Kuzuha's boys! At the springs yet again huh?" A hearty voice brought the twins attentions towards the trees. Flitting down with a brief bit of black crow feathers falling around them, before the two boys now was a tall, burly man in styled robs covered in marks and chords, two crow wings folding up behind his back. The man's skin had a red tint to it, and his angular face gave a birdlike impression to his features, with a nose hooked in such a way that it appeared beak-like in and of itself, and dark hair the same shade as the feathers, and with eyes red as embers.

"Daitengu-san, nice to see you too!" Kyo said, greeting the large yokai man with a clap of his hand to the other's. "Been a while since you were down from the peak."

"Things have been pretty busy after all. That whole mess with Orochi made things kinda nuts. Plugging all those holes so the yoma don't start showing up in massive numbers has been time consuming." Daitengu said, folding his arms and sighing. "At the least, we can rest assured since the Kazama boy handed the Yin and Yang Scrolls over to us. Nobody's gonna be trying to use those things again for a _long _time, that's assured!"

"Which is the best we can get for now. Not that there isn't plenty of powerful Yoma at there who are dangerous in completely different ways." Shin said, Daitengu stroking his chin.

"Aye to that one." The yokai said, sitting down at the lip of the spring. "Just like how you boys have a deal of yokai blood in ya', I also wonder if there's any kids out there who's got a yoma parent as well. I'd feel for a child like that… it wouldn't be an easy life, especially since some of those Shinobi outside Ryugamine are outright ruthless in trying to take down Yoma."

"But that's why we have the Sealing Blades." Kyo said, holding up a finger. "Sure the body goes, but the Blades don't destroy a Yoma's soul, they just send them back to the Yoma world so that they'll _stay _there!"

"That's the intent at the least." Daitengu stated. "The threat really _isn't _the lesser Yoma of course." The yokai then glanced at Shin, giving a hum as the boy raised a brow. "I feel for you as well, Shin. Sharing your name with _that _Yoma… I still wonder what Kuzuha was thinking. That fox's sense of humor has always been rather off color."

"I mean it's not like my name isn't kind of common." Shin remarked, looping his hair back through the chord, the bells softly ringing from the motions. "Mom is kind of weird though… where's she gone this time?"

"Hmm… said she was heading up to Hokkaido, with your father in two of course." Daitengu laughed as he stood up, giving a chuckle. "You two got two different parts of your mother, I can say that much. Well then boys, see ya! Good luck in Asakura. Don't go fighting any stupidly big Yoma this time, alright?"

"No promises old timer!" Kyo said, laughing as he gave a thumbs up, Shin bowing his head as Daitengu then took off. Kyo then cracked his knuckles, snickering again. "Alright, now that we're done here, what else huh?"

"Hmm… how about fishing? Wanna see if we can one up grandpa and catch the Emperor?"

"Hell yeah!"

* * *

**Ehh? A report? Well, sure I guess. I mean I'm not that good at this kind of thing y'know. But, whatever, I can wing it! So, where to start, where to start… well, it was six months ago, obviously… seriously do I have to be that specific?… FINE!... Six months ago, assignment in Asakusa. Shin went to that Hanzo Academy place, and I was put to work at Hebijo, an "evil" Shinobi school… bunch of shit if you ask me. Weirdly it was a girl's school… there's plenty of guy Shinobi, hell a bunch of my friends here in Ryugamine are guy shinobi. I felt kinda out of place.**

**Did I mention my welcome wasn't that nice? I got attacked the second I got close to the doorway! I fought my way through the entire grounds before I got anyone to shut up and let me talk with them to explain what the hell was going on!... sure fighting Homura was fun but at the time it was kinda more just me trying to get shit over with. Didn't have to fight the other elites thankfully. Yomi, Haruka, Mirai, and Hikage… I mean, I **_**did **_**end up fighting them but like, not at that time. And under better circumstances.**

**So, grandpa said I had to keep a cover for why I was there. See, we had this whole secret goal of trying to find out what Hebijo was planning to do with the Yin Scroll, this super powerful Shinobi Art Scroll. I was working with Kaen since he's better at the whole espionage thing. I said the fact I was Tenno, but said it under the guise that I was acting as like uhm… a trainer, I suppose, plus a benefactor. At the start I think they kinda just saw me as a waiting paycheck more than anything. Didn't expect much else honestly. Of course **_**this **_**is where things start to pick up. Cause hey, the more you hang out with people, the more you learn about them.**

**Where to start, where to start… hmm… ah, alright, we'll go down and up in how hard it was for me to get to know the elites. There's a deal of things I didn't really see go down much but most of my time at Hebijo was spent training with them.**

**Let's start with… well I wouldn't say it was easy, but this is more just cause I don't have much to say. Hikage. Weird girl. Silent as hell. I don't get her one bit, but at least she doesn't hate me. She grew up on the streets and wields one **_**hell **_**of a knife, seriously it's just cool. But… well not much more than that, we're friends, not much more… besides I think she's into Yuki. Guy's got a very accepting kind of taste I'll say that.**

**Next up, Mirai, the little sister of the group in terms of roles. She's odd for a Shinobi, she uses **_**guns **_**of all things! I mean it's cool but c'mon, fighting is way better when it's up close and personal. I will admit though, umbrella guns are cool, credit where it's due. She got picked on a lot in school before the whole Shinobi thing, and is weirdly kinda attached to Haruka… I'll get to her next do not worry cause **_**whoo fucking boy! **_**Either way, I got along with Mirai after I found out she's a writer. A **_**good **_**one… kinda. She does internet novels, and we just kinda clicked after that… so can I say I got a little sister now? Dunno.**

**And Haruka. **_**WHOO BOY! **_**She's a case, one **_**hell **_**of a case! Lemme break it down. Mom was like, **_**super **_**controlling, to the point she treated Haruka more like a doll than a daughter. Dad was always working and never at home so there was that too, also corrupt as hell doctor type… the details were complicated but that's the basics I got. So, the Hebijo teacher, Suzune, taught her things, and Haruka mastered doll-type arts at a young age. So, what'd she do? Use them to make her father come out with all the crimes and stuff he'd committed… surprisingly cool I will give her that. It's uh… **_**weird, **_**I will note, between the two of us. She's… forward in a kind of off putting way at times. Though, well hopefully that's died down since now we're actually friends… probably gonna have to whack her a few times for getting some of our people into messy situations. Still haven't found out about our one guy… I've got a wooden sword with her name on it. Literally.**

**Yomi. Yomi, Yomi, **_**Yomi. **_**She straight up hated me the most when we first met. She grew up in the slums as a kid and hates, and I mean **_**hates **_**rich people. Sooo… logically, being where I am in life, I was right on top of her "people to hate" list… which was dumb. And I made it clear I thought it was dumb. She's also obsessed with bean sprouts. Absurdly so. Seriously she tries to make do on a diet of nothing but. Which is also dumb! I think she took every spar as a chance to try and prove some weird point. After some fights and all the shenanigans that went down with everything, I think we're friends now… but I think we've fallen into some weird schtick cause of her whole "Princess of Poverty" attitude.**

**And last but **_**most certainly not least, **_**Homura. She didn't hate me like Yomi, but she sure as hell didn't trust me at first. Sparring was more like an excuse to try and beat me like what Yomi tried… and boy did I find out **_**why! **_**Homura is actually from a kinda prominent Shinobi family, and was on the track to a normal "good" Shinobi path from a young age… that got cut short. A teacher she was close to in middle school turned out to be an evil Shinobi sent to kill her. And, well, she snapped. She said all she remembered was things going black, and then the guy's bloodstained face. So… well, her family disowned her and she was cast out… granted she swiped the family sword along the way. And then she wound up at Hebijo. So then I got why she didn't trust me. She was expecting betrayal from me out of old trauma.**

**I'll admit, I don't do long emotional vent talks well. I'm direct, to a point… so, after getting her to vent **_**somehow, **_**I had one solution in mind, the way I understand people the best: A fight. A real one. Not without any ill intents behind it, just a fight to understand each other by crossing blades. I wasn't the kind of person who could give much with words, so my method was physical. I wanted to fight Homura to get across that I didn't intend that kind of thing. Sure, yeah I lied about why I was at Hebijo to a degree, but otherwise, damn me if I didn't act honest about things!**

**So that's what we did, we fought. I remember a thing Homura said clearly a ways in: "Why are you smiling in the middle of a fight?" I actually had to explain a fight isn't always a fight to the death! I mean sure she's not from Ryugamine but I like to think some other people get that idea y'know?! We didn't really fight till somebody won. Hell the fight just ended at some point when I think Homura finally got the message I was trying to get across. It was just quiet a bit after that. We were both kinda beat up, clothes shredded cause, well, that **_**happens. **_**We sort of uh… got swept up in the moment and **_**things **_**happened.**

**Things I will not explain here… Quit mugging at me! …Oh like you seriously need that in my report!? …Shut it!**

**Moving on from there. I can say Homura and I definitely got closer after that point. She actually trusted me. But **_**of course **_**things can never be **_**that **_**easy now can they? Things began to ramp up from here. Hebijo started trying to get their hands on the Yang Scroll that Hanzo had, which meant a lot more fights along the way. At some point one of the Hanzo girls for some reason handed the Yang Scroll over… I later found out this was due to the Scrolls themselves trying to get reunited, but Haruka had a bit to do with it to.**

**Needless to say Kaen wasn't cool with this whole thing and went to tell Shin about what happened so that he would be in the know about what was going on ASAP.**

**One of the Hanzo girls rushed to Hebijo to try and get the girl back when she faked defecting in order to try and retrieve the Scroll. Shin had come along with her, or I think it's more accurate to say he was trying to stop her from doing something dumb. Shin's a good kid and I could tell he'd made some close friends at Hanzo during his time there. We met up and discussed the things we'd been through… Shin and I fought cause I wanted to see how strong he'd gotten. It had nothing to do with Hanzo or Hebijo, not in the slightest bit. We were just fighting to see how far we'd come and solidify our convictions.**

**Cause afterwards, we knew that the next time Hanzo and Hebijo fought would be where everything would end for all of us. I stuck with Homura as the time before the fight was supposed to start, and considering Hanzo had gone and invaded Hebijo and done a good ol' raiding of the castle, we didn't have much else to go… then we ended up in a sushi shop run by **_**Hanzo **_**of all freaking people! Guy actually makes good sushi.**

**Shin and this girl from Hanzo, Asuka, showed up not long later. We let the two girls talk and we split off to our own. I made it clear I wanted to support the Hebijo girls. Maybe I couldn't get them out of being "evil shinobi" but dammit I had to do **_**something **_**by this point. And I'd made my promise to Homura, that I wouldn't betray her. If I left here just because of my own duty, I'd be doing just that, and I wouldn't hurt her like that. I guess I was being a bit naïve at the time. I was hoping we could resolve things and **_**not **_**have it got to utter hell in a handbasket.**

**Honestly I think Shin doesn't get why I passed over being the heir. It's a lot more than the fact Rengoku chose him as it's wielder, it's also how we are. I'm just not fit for the role. I don't have that kind of knowhow. And I don't think Shin knows he **_**does. **_**Shin doesn't know a lot of things about himself, but he's got so much potential… he just needs the right people to help it blossom. I'm not that person, annoying as that is for me to admit.**

**But I do know we had the same thought about this: That it was bullshit. This conflict was based on absolutely arbitrary things, people who could definitely understand each other if they just took a moment to do so, fighting to no reason at all. Someone **_**wanted **_**it to happen, and now it was up to us to find out for what and why.**

**It didn't take us that long honestly.**

**I won't go into a ton of details about what happened next. Ame and Kaen had found out what this was all for, why this conflict was happening. A man named Dogen wanted to summon Orochi, and he needed two things: The Yin and Yang Scrolls, and the bodies of talented Shinobi. So the fights happened, and one after the other the Hebijo girls were beaten and settled things with the Hanzo girls who'd ended up their rivals in all of this… and each of them vanished in a flash of red. They'd become the sacrifices to Orochi.**

**It of course didn't help that before this, the entire team had been on edge beforehand. But, they did try and resolve it… try. Haruka didn't actually want to fight for one, and Mirai followed her lead. Hikage was just going along with Haruka, and Yomi **_**did **_**want to fight. Homura, of course, did… but she got obstinate about it as well. It was annoying to deal with, I will say that.**

**But back to the fights. Sort of. Homura and I were on our own. We ran into Dogen while heading up to Hebijo. He did the whole villain thing of spilling his plan and what he was up to, why he wanted these fights to happen. Homura took exception to that one. Honestly I thought the guy was dead as could be, but after what Grandpa said, now I have my doubts. Either way, we kept going until we got the roof of Hebijo, where Asuka and Shin were waiting. The two girls fought at their hardest using the powers they had, Asuka having used the Scrolls to boost her own power, and Homura drawing her family sword.**

**It was around **_**there **_**I finally found out what her family line was, but that's not something I'm putting on a public… it's not? Oh… well I'm not saying it anyway.**

**Homura won the fight, but it was apparently enough. She became the last sacrifice for Orochi. So I had an idea of my own: Another fight with Shin. I drew the other Sealing Blade, Jigoku, and Shin drew his. We fought with everything that we could. And it was a draw. But, it did the job I needed, and I got pulled into Orochi too. I don't regret but… but I'm not ever going to forget it. And for **_**all **_**of the wrong reasons.**

**Have you ever wondered what hell could be like? I don't have to anymore, because now I think I have a pretty damn good idea of it. Try and imagine a mirrored version of our world, but everything is blood red. You're surrounded by **_**flesh **_**and pulsing **_**things, **_**and your path forward is a goddamn **_**vein. **_**And then, to make it all the more disturbing, the other side of that path has a perfectly tranquil, bright, grassy field with a tree at the center.**

**Homura and I had managed to hold onto our senses of self inside of Orochi, and this was what moving forward became. At each clearing, we came across one of the other elites. They were wrapped up in an illusion Orochi made, and there was only one way to free them: To fight and snap them out of it the hard way. Yomi, Hikage, and Mirai didn't have anything drastic, but the fights weren't things I would call overly easy. Then we got to Haruka. She'd been pulled in the most, and her way of fighting had completely changed when we fought her… but that had also been the last link we had to sever.**

**But… there is a thing I won't forget about that experience. Being part yokai **_**sucks **_**sometimes, lemme say that, and this was one of those times. The **_**things **_**I heard in my head. The voice of Orochi itself. The thing was **_**utterly mad, **_**completely and utterly insane, only seeking to destroy things… and yet this was the thing that was lulling my friends into peaceful illusions at the same time. And it was trying to do the same to me. Frankly I'm glad for having Jigoku at the time, the nifty thing sure as hell helped my ass out.**

**But hey, if we **_**hadn't **_**succeeded, I wouldn't be here to say all of this, now wouldn't I? So, yeah, Homura and I did it. Hebijo was all in ruins, and I think at the same time that the two of us beat Haruka, Shin and Asuka beat Orochi on the outside. There were ruins all around, we were beat to high hell and tired as it too. But, I don't think anyone cared aside from the fact we were all just alive and with each other again.**

_**Four months! **_**I have spent four freaking months trying to track those girls down ever since I got back to Ryugamine, and I only just recently finally pieced shit together! Credit where it is, Shinobi are hard to find when they want to be… frustrating as it all goddamn is! Though I think Haruka is mostly to blame for that one.**

**So believe me when I say that I am going to be **_**busy **_**once I'm back in Asakusa!**


End file.
